russia 1945 - 1991

Russia in WWII

Phase 1

Germany and the USSR signed a non-aggression pact dividing up Poland. This pact had the rule of non-aggression between Germany and the USSR if there was a war. After that in September 1 Germany invades Poland. USSR couldn’t stand the war between the axis Powers. Germany invaded Russia in June 1941. In October 1941 the U.S. began supplying the USSR under the Lend-Lease Act. After that Germany broke the pact attacking Moscow and this event was called operation Barbarossa. But this operation failed, because the weather of Moscow was to cold they couldn’t advance.

Phase 2

In the Phase II, Hitler formally issued orders for the invasion of Russia in December 1940. His advisers, on the basis of intelligence reports and the performance of the Russian Army in Finland, suggested that an eight-week campaign should be sufficient to reach Moscow and bring the Soviet government to its knees. This low estimate of Soviet capability was shared by western intelligence experts. The main idea of Hitler attacking Russia was that he was afraid that Stalin might have the same idea and attack first. Then Germany attack on three fronts that were in the north that was the city of Leningrad, the centre attack that had the aim of capture the capital, Moscow, and in the south. Russia couldn’t do anything, but they react by cutting the crops and plants of food and because of the cold Russia and Germany were not prepared so they get off these situation. After that Russia attacks Germany, and there is when Germany doesn’t have any more allies only Japan, and there is where they lost this fight.

Russia in Cold war

Once the axis powers were defeated, difference between USA and USSR became clear. Stalin fears the capitalist west, and USA leaders continued to fear communism. Both countries were responsible for the beginning of cold war, taking steps that were unwise and might have been avoid. It’s not surprising that two different systems would come into conflict. The soviets were not prepared to give up its control of Eastern Europe after Germany defeat. America leaders were not willing to give up the power and prestige the United States had gained throughout the world. The USA and USSR soon become rivals.  Between 1945 and 1949, a number of event led the two superpowers (countries whose military power is combined with political influence) to oppose each other.

Eastern Europe was the first area of disagreement. Stalin, fearful that eastern European nations would be anti-Soviet if they were permitted free elections, opposed the west´s plans.  In 1949, the the Soviet Union respond to the Marshall plan by founding the COMMECON for economic cooperation of easter European states.

The fate of Germany also became a source of heated contention between the Soviets and the west. At the end of the war, the allied power has divided Germany into four zones, each occupied by one of the allies, the USA, the USSR, GB, and France.

By February 1948, BG, France and the USA were making plans to unify the three western sections of Germany (and berlin) and create a West German government. The soviets opposed the creation of a separate West German state.  They attempted to prevent it by mounting a blockade of West Berlin.

In September 1949, the federal republic of Germany, or West Germany, was formally created. Its capital was Bonn. Less than a month later, a separate East Germany state, the German democratic republic, was set up by the soviets.